Who did the Menendez brothers marry? Discovering the identity of Lyle and Erik Menendez’s wives

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has featured the crimes of the Menendez brothers, and is the second season of the Monster series, released on Netflix on September 19, 2024. It shows the infamous 1989 murders of José and Kitty Menendez by their sons Lyle and Erik Menendez.

Directed by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the documentary stars Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle, Cooper Koch as Erik, Javier Bardem as José, and Chloë Sevigny as Kitty.

Among the Menendez brothers, Lyle Menendez married Anna Eriksson in 1996, but they divorced in 2001. He later married Rebecca Sneed in 2003. Erik Menendez married Tammi Ruth Saccoman in 1999. Both marriages took place while the brothers were serving life sentences without the possibility of parole, and their wives have publicly stood by them throughout their incarceration.

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Identities of Menendez brothers' spouses, explored

The Menendez brothers were convicted for the 1989 murders of their parents and have been serving life sentences without the possibility of parole since 1996. Despite their incarceration, the Menendez brothers managed to marry, which has attracted considerable attention over the years, as their relationships took place behind prison walls.

Lyle Menendez’s first marriage happened soon after his conviction. On July 2, 1996, while serving his life sentence, he married Anna Eriksson, a former model. Eriksson met Lyle after she began writing him letters in prison.

The two developed a close relationship through correspondence which eventually led to their marriage. The ceremony took place in prison, with only a small group of people in attendance, including his defense attorney, Leslie Abramson.

Despite the circumstances, Lyle and Anna seemed to find solace in their relationship. However, their marriage was short-lived. Anna filed for divorce on April 1, 2001, after discovering that Lyle had been writing to other women during their marriage. Their relationship, strained by prison life and Lyle’s infidelity, came to an end after five years of marriage.

Lyle found love once again, not long after his divorce. In November 2003, he married Rebecca Sneed, a magazine editor. Unlike his previous marriage, Lyle had known Rebecca for about a decade before they got engaged.

Rebecca has remained supportive of Lyle throughout the years, and they continue to maintain their relationship despite the challenges of prison life. Although details about Rebecca’s personal life remain relatively private, she’s been noted for her unwavering loyalty to Lyle, regularly visiting him and staying involved in his life.

Erik Menendez, the younger of the two brothers, also found love while serving his sentence. On June 12, 1999, Erik married Tammi Ruth Saccoman in a prison ceremony at Folsom State Prison. Tammi, who had been a successful real estate agent before her relationship with Erik, first began communicating with him after his conviction.

Like his brother, Erik’s relationship with Tammi started through letters, which led to their marriage. Tammi has been very public about her relationship with Erik, even publishing a book, titled They Said We’d Never Make It – My Life with Erik Menendez. In her book, Tammi describes the emotional connection she shares with Erik and the challenges of being married to someone in prison for life.

Tammi has remained dedicated to Erik throughout the years, and she often speaks about the strength of their relationship, despite the circumstances. She has said in interviews that she visits him regularly, and has described their wedding day as one of the happiest moments of her life.

Saccoman, who was previously married and has a daughter, has even referred to Erik as her daughter’s “Earth Dad,” reflecting the closeness her daughter feels with him despite their limited physical contact.

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The documentary about the Menendez brothers is available to stream on Netflix.